The City of Vancouver is receiving $7.1 million from the federal government towards a new Coal Harbour mixed-use passive affordable housing development. The funding will support the net zero energy and Passive House green building design and is coming from the federal Green Municipal Fund’s Sustainable Affordable Housing initiative.

The $81 million project at 480 Broughton Street will include social housing, a school and childcare. It is a fully electrical building, which will reduce embodied carbon through construction by 40 per cent and emit 94 per cent fewer GHGs than a standard building. In addition, the application of the LEED gold standard will improve indoor air quality, reduce water consumption, and maximize the building’s overall energy performance.

“Tackling climate change in an equitable way is a top priority for the City of Vancouver, but it’s only through partnerships with the Government of Canada can we make strong, sustained reductions in carbon emissions while also making life more affordable for people. Thanks to the Green Municipal Fund, cities like ours can work with the federal government to not only deliver affordable housing, but to do it in a way that reduces climate-related impacts for generations to come,” said Mayor Kennedy Stewart.

The 127-ft-tall, 11-storey tower will have a 43,000 square foot elementary school for 340 students within the first three levels, a 9,600 square foot childcare facility for 64 kids on the fourth level with an outdoor play space on the rooftop of the school, and 60 units of social housing within the upper six levels. The building is designed by local firm Henriquez Partners Architects.

The project is being developed by the City of Vancouver with the school owned by the Vancouver School Board, and the childcare and affordable housing owned by the city.

Haebler Construction has begun construction with the project expected to be completed by June 2024.